Homosassa Florida Fly Fishing- Redfish, Seatrout, Cobia, Tarpon & More

Homosassa Florida fly fishing is just as exciting as visiting an exotic destination away from the United States. Homosassa Florida is nestled in the heart of the Nature Coast and known as a “fisherman’s delight.” There are so many opportunities to do all kinds of fly fishing in Homosassa. Chartering an experienced guide while here through Leisure Time Travel will help to put you in the best hands possible. Homosassa Fly fishing presents many opportunities for redfish, sea trout, cobia, tarpon, jacks, mangrove snappers and more.

Redfish

Sight fishing for tailing redfish offers an interesting challenge for the angler in Homosassa Florida. Redfish are abundant in the clear shallow water here all year. They remain on the flats except for the rare times we have freezing weather. Redfish make perfect fly targets. They are very obvious as they “push” water. They are not spooky. Additionally, you don’t need to cast a mile to catch one. The largest schools of redfish are found in July through late September. The biggest redfish are found in late October and November.

Seatrout

SeatHomosassa Florida Fly Fishing for Redfish, Cobia, Sea Trout, Tarpon and More.rout are in Homosassa Florida year-round. During the fall, early winter and again in the spring. It is not unusual to find large concentrations of fish. From late March to May, you will find “muds” on the flats where trout, bluefish, mackerel, and who knows what else will be grubbing around in a feeding frenzy.

Cobia

Late March and early April is usually blustery, but prime time for cobia. One of the best places to catch cobia is to find stingrays. Cobia love to follow along behind a feeding ray as it grubs along the bottom. Anything that is flushed out usually gets eaten by the cobia. Just toss your fly on the ray’s back and hold on.

Tarpon

May is normally very calm and warm. The migratory tarpon start arriving. Your greatest chance to hook a huge tarpon is here. If you really want to catch a tarpon, you will need a guide. Make your plans early as all the good guides are booked well in advance. There are tarpon in the rivers year-round.

We all enjoy a fun day fishing and there is probably nothing as exciting as catching a tarpon on light tackle. The giant tarpon that frequent the flats of Homosassa Florida in May and June are the breeding stock that replenish this fishery. It takes fifty to sixty years to produce a big tarpon, but only an hour to kill one. All the big tarpon are females. With a few simple rules, you can get the fish in fast and release it to spawn and maintain this wonderful tarpon fishery. The most important factor in fly fishing for tarpon is adequate tackle. You need a good sturdy 12 wt. or 13 wt. fly rod and a reel capable of holding at least 300 yards of 30# backing. Your drag should be set at 20% of your line strength. So, if you are using a 20 lb. class tippet, your drag setting should be set at 4 lbs straight off the reel. With some knowledge about tackle and fighting fish, you can keep the trauma to the fish at a minimum. Your guide will help.

Jacks, Mangrove Snappers & Lady Fish

Jacks, mangrove snappers, and lady fish are thick in the rivers when the weather is cold. There have been many fishing days saved by these denizens of the winter river. The jacks are powerful fish and are fun anytime you catch one. You can catch a snapper on a “Crazy Charlie.” Lady fish are a blast on ultra light tackle. When hooked, they jump all over the place. All the main spring fed rivers here maintain a 72 degree temperature year-round. That’s why the fish swarm in the rivers in the winter.

Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Redfish G G G E E E E E E E E G/E
Seatrout G G G/E E E E E E E E G G
Cobia N/A N/A G E E E G G G G N/A N/A
Jacks/Lady’s E G G G G G G G G G G E
Tarpon N/A N/A N/A N/A G/E E E G N/A N/A N/A N/A
 LEGEND: E = Excellent | G = Good | F = Fair – can be windy

 

 Leisure Time Travel: Your best and most knowledgeable choice for fishing the Caribbean.

Leisure Time Travel Inc.
531 N. Citrus Ave.
Crystal River, Florida 34428
352-795-FISH (3474)
1-800-771-2202